The present invention relates generally to exercise equipment, and more particularly to an interactive exercise pad system which simulates real world exercise courses to users as they perform walking, running, jumping, and dancing exercise regimes.
Exercise is necessary. Medical studies have related important health problems to the lack of it, and it clearly affects our moods, our sense of self-image, and the public image by which others perceive us. However, increasingly people are not getting the amounts or the types of exercise which they need. Many reasons exist for this, but some particular ones are boredom, self consciousness, the difficulty or inability to go somewhere to exercise, and even complex social pressures.
Exercise is considered boring, and repetitive exercise is considered particularly so. A major reason for this is that exercise today frequently is not practical in natural or varied settings. For example, to walk or run in many urban settings there may be little choice but to use an inside location at a health club or gym, and to use that same facility day after day. When people do want to exercise, finding a suitable place to do so can therefore be difficult. A health club, gym, or park may not be conveniently near by, or may be too crowded with others also seeking exercise or even unrelated use of the facility.
Somewhat related to the where-to-exercise issue are time issues. Travel to public indoor exercise facilities takes time, and upon arrival there may be a wait to use the exercise resource of preference. There is also the matter of being able to exercise when one wants. Health clubs and gyms may keep set hours limiting when certain equipment is generally available, or they may even be closed during some hours of the day. Similarly, crime in some places has reached the deplorable state that nighttime use of parks is dangerous, and increasingly even outright prohibited. And as our society increasingly turns to flexible schedules and working at home (particularly as new telecommuting capabilities so permit), these time constraints upon when one can exercise become even more apparent and burdensome.
Exercising in traditionally public settings such as health clubs and gyms can also be awkward feeling or even embarrassing to many. Some people are simply shy, and do not want to exercise where they are constantly reminded that they are surrounded by other people, or by people whom they do not know. Others are self conscious about their own physical condition, particularly in a xe2x80x9ccomparativexe2x80x9d setting like a health club, and they are therefore uncomfortable (unfortunately such people may need exercise the most, for instance because they are overweight).
In sum, there are many complicated reasons why we do not exercise, and some of these may never be entirely overcome. However, furthering exercise to the extent possible is a worthy goal. Today many see perception of the exercise environment as a key to increasing the participation in, the enjoyment of, and ultimately the success of exercise. Thus efforts are being made to change the exercise environment, with some of the rationale being if one cannot exercise in a natural manner (e.g., in a park), then use equipment to work the same muscles in the same manner; if one cannot go to a natural setting, then create the illusion of one; and if one cannot go somewhere to exercise (e.g., a health club or gym), then bring exercise to the user (e.g., to the home, office, or hotel room).
The current situation, and the focus on the exercise environment, have created large and growing specialty segments in the exercise equipment market. And the home and office segment is one example. But regrettably it is one which has to date not been very successful at delivering what its consumers want. Those who do exercise with the equipment available in this market segment find that they do not enjoy and can not stick with exercise for very long because the home and office settings are often full of distractions and exercise there is boring. xe2x80x9cVirtual Realityxe2x80x9d exercise equipment is another such market segment (one which has potential overlap with the home and office market segment, but one which has largely failed to do so to date). Several major exercise equipment manufacturers (e.g., TECTRIX NAUTILUS, LIFE FITNESS, TRANSCAPE, KETTLER, PRECOR, AND REEBOK) have developed exercise machines having such capability, but these overwhelmingly rely upon animated computer graphics and are expensive. It is generally perceived in the industry that the development costs of animated computer environments are prohibitive, therefore consumer price resistance is anticipated by manufacturers and their product offerings are accordingly fewer in this segment.
The present invention acknowledges that exercise environment is the key. However, the term xe2x80x9cvirtual realityxe2x80x9d is not entirely appropriate, and the approach disclosed herein may more appropriately be termed xe2x80x9cnatural environment simulation.xe2x80x9d
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an exercise system which dynamically simulates exercise in a natural environment.
Another object of the invention is to provide an exercise system which realistically simulates exercise in a natural environment.
And, another object of the invention is to provide an exercise system which is economical and which uses equipment and methods that are conventional enough that relatively unsophisticated users may employ the system for exercise in public facilities as well as private settings.
Briefly, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is an interactive exercise system which includes an exercise pad and a detector for detecting when a user steps on and off of the pad. The detector produces event data which is communicated to a computer. Also provided to the computer are data files from storage media which include course and image data captured from a real world exercise course. The computer processes this various data and directs presentation of the image data on a display in a manner such that the user experiences a realistic simulation of both exercising in and traveling through the exercise course. Further, although optional, a data acquisition unit may be added to receive the event data and pre-process it by debouncing, filtering, or converting it into another format before it is communicated onward to the computer.
An advantage of the present invention is that very dynamic exercise may be carried out with it, yet without undue user involvement in setting effort levels for the exercise. A user may, optionally, initially set a nominal difficulty level, and then let the inventive exercise system dynamically control the pace thereafter.
Another advantage of the invention is that it realistically simulates a real world exercise experience. Real-world or true nature video content is used, which is captured in natural settings along real world courses, rather than computer animation and graphics, or such superimposed upon nature still scenes. Optionally natural sound content may be added, or the user may opt for verbal feedback and encouragement, or for music to set a particular mood or to entertain.
Another advantage of the invention is that it is economical to implement and operate. It may employ relatively conventional computer equipment using relatively standard audio and video hardware, and using widely used and well understood operating system software. The media used by the invention to store audio, video, terrain information, and optional other files may be any of many widely available and inexpensive formats, and accordingly media units containing exercise sessions can be quickly and relatively cheaply produced, reproduced, and distributed to the ultimate users of the invention.
Another advantage of the invention is that it allows a user to conveniently exercise in the privacy to a home, an office, or a hotel room. The invention may employ an exercise pad which is very compact and storable (and therefore easily transportable) and a laptop (or even palmtop) computer having a display and a media player such as CD or DVD player. But since many people have and travel with such computer hardware already, very little additional needs to be purchased, packed or set-up to take advantage of the invention.
Another advantage of the invention is that it has a very high entertainment value, drawing and engaging its users in a realistic and natural exercise environment, which promotes regular exercise and adherence to exercise regimes, and which decreases the seductive ability of distractions to interrupt exercise sessions.
And, another advantage of the invention is that it appeals to a very broad range of potential users. Children will find the experience of their movement causing scenic video interaction to be very stimulating, and they may also design their own competitions and games, such as determining who is faster using the exercise pad and data display. Busy adults can employ the invention in the home, for example, in the kitchen while preparing meals or in the den while watching television. They can also grab brief exercise breaks, say while diverting attention back and forth between the scenic video interaction of the invention and important television broadcast news items. Similarly, the invention can be used in the office or the shop, either as a temporary respite from traditional work tasks or even in conjunction with such. For example, a computer user may even employ the invention while sitting at their workstation, with the feedback from the invention occupying only a small additional window on their display. Business people away from home on trips can now easily maintain their regular exercise regimes in their hotel rooms by using the invention. And senior citizens can use the invention to supplement their regular walking programs, or use it indoors with options like a heart rate monitor, to insure safe use even if they are elderly or frail.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art in view of the description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and the industrial applicability of the preferred embodiment as described herein and as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings.